Ashley Udick Appointed General Manager Aero Center Lakeland

SAR Trilogy Management, LLC has announced Ashley Udick as General Manager of Aero Center Lakeland, its FBO complex at Lakeland Linder International Airport (KLAL). Udick is currently overseeing the construction of the company’s first FBO complex, which will open in late May 2021.

Aero Center Lakeland is located midfield off taxiway A (for pilots) and at the end of Airport Road (for drivers). Phase I of the Aero Center Lakeland build includes a new 3-acre air transport capable ramp, a 50K gallon fuel farm, and a modular/temporary FBO.  In the 4th quarter of 2021, Phase II will add an 11K square feet FBO and office space as well as two hangars of 10K and 15K square feet.

Udick joins the Aero Centers team with over ten years of aviation-related management experience, including leadership roles at Sonoma Jet Center, Winter Haven Airport, and Sheltair. Recognized for her emphasis on customer service by International Aviation News in 2019, Udick will lead Aero Center Lakeland as a customer-centric expert to the private aviation community in Lakeland.

“Returning to KLAL to launch Aero Center Lakeland is a challenge that I am excited to take on because of the supportive aviation community that I know first-hand exists here,” says Udick.

Michael Scheeringa, co-founder of SAR Trilogy Management shared, “Ashley’s leadership reputation for the local aviation community and customer orientation made her a perfect fit for the culture Aero Centers wants to deliver. She possesses a stellar track record and came highly recommended.” Sanjay Aggarwal, co-founder of SAR Trilogy Management added, “I am confident Ashley will establish Aero Center Lakeland as the provider that offers the same excellent services to general aviators and business jets alike, whether traveling locally, nationally, or internationally.”

Aero Center Lakeland is strategically located on the I-4 corridor between Tampa and Orlando, serving the rapidly growing business community, tourist destination icons including Walt Disney World, Busch Gardens, Universal, and Legoland, as well as transient travelers that can take advantage of the international capabilities of KLAL.  

SAR Trilogy Management had earlier announced Aero Center Wilmington, its second location with a similar footprint in Wilmington, NC (KILM), slated for completion in the second half of 2021.

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Jeremy Epperson

“Jeremy is a true world-class leader in the aviation community,” said S. Michael Scheeringa, co-founder and managing director of SAR Trilogy Management.

His life-long passion for the industry and history of developing both people and markets made Jeremy the first and natural choice to lead Aero Centers.

Epperson started his aviation career in the United States Marine Corps, where he developed his leadership and passion to serve. He graduated from the University of California, San Diego, and is a commercial pilot with P135 experience. He has demonstrated his affection for the business with successful FBO leadership roles at Signature and Republic. 

Aero Centers will bring a level of professionalism and experience back to aviation communities,” added Jeremy Epperson. “Our FBOs demonstrate to the industry we are committed to first-class facilities with knowledgeable and experienced local team members with a passion for aviation. I am very excited to lead the team responsible for developing full-service FBOs and delivering customer-centric service to all aviation customers in a community. I had a vision for bringing passion, fun, and expertise back into aviation communities, just like it was 30 years ago. Aero Centers’ focus on full-service FBOs brings the dream to reality.

Jeremy Epperson

Sanjay Aggarwal

Aggarwal has over 25 years of experience in the aviation and hospitality industries. Aggarwal is a co-founder of SAR Trilogy Management. Previously until 2015, he was the CEO of Global Crew Logistics (GCL), a Miami-based travel management company specializing in the movements and accommodation of business aviation and cargo airlines’ flight crews. GCL doubled its EBITDA in a short two-year period under Aggarwal’s leadership. 

Between 2008 and 2013, Sanjay served as CEO of two commercial airlines in India – Spicejet (a private-equity-backed low-cost air carrier) and Kingfisher Airlines (a publicly listed full-service carrier). Under his leadership, Spicejet saw its first profitable year and increased its domestic market share from 7% to 12%. Prior to that, he served as COO of Flight Options LLC, one of the world’s largest operators of business jets. He and Scheeringa worked together to take Flight Options to profitability. 

Earlier, Sanjay worked in IT, strategy, financial planning and other roles at Marriott International and US Airways. He received his BS in Industrial Engineering from Nagpur University in India and his MS in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech. 

Sanjay Aggarwal is a co-founder of SAR Trilogy Management

MICHAEL SCHEERINGA

Scheeringa has almost 30 years of experience in general and commercial aviation as an operator and supplier. Scheeringa is a co-founder and managing director of SAR Trilogy Management, an aviation investment and management company. Before he founded SAR Trilogy in 2015, he was the President and CEO of BBA Aviation Flight Support, which comprised Signature Flight Support, the world’s leading FBO network, and ASIG, a leading operator of commercial aviation fueling services. Under his leadership, Signature grew from 85 to 124 global locations, almost doubled in revenue and tripled profit resulting in the company outperforming the market in 65 out of the last 72 months of Scheeringa’s tenure.

From 2004-2008, Scheeringa served as CEO of Flight Options LLC, one of the world’s largest operators of business jets. He was responsible for the turnaround of the business taking it from a negative 20% margin to a positive 5% margin. Prior to that he spent 13 years at US Airways in officer-level positions in network and operations planning and as the head of the company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries. 

Scheeringa received his BS in Transportation and Logistics Management from Arizona State University. Scheeringa was a board member of the Central Florida Expressway Authority. He is a Past Chairman of the National Air Transportation Association and a private pilot.

Michael Scheringa Founder of Aero Centers